Tag Archives: minimum alcohol pricing

Rennie calls for emergency summit on alcohol pricing

By The Voice | Wed 23rd December 2015 - 2:00 pm

Today the European Court of Justice ruled that minimum alcohol pricing is contrary to EU law if other tax options exist.

From the BBC:

A legal challenge was brought by the SWA, which argued the Scottish government’s legislation breached European law.

The European court ruling said: “The Court of Justice considers that the effect of the Scottish legislation is significantly to restrict the market, and this might be avoided by the introduction of a tax measure designed to increase the price of alcohol instead of a measure imposing a minimum price per unit of alcohol.”

It added: “The court states that it is ultimately for the national court to determine whether measures other than that provided for by the Scottish legislation, such as increased taxation on alcoholic drinks, are capable of protecting human life and health as effectively as the current legislation, while being less restrictive of trade in those products within the EU.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie called for an emergency summit to review options:

Eric Avebury writes…Society cannot afford to scrap the alcohol duty escalator

By Eric Avebury | Wed 26th March 2014 - 9:01 am

Last week’s Budget saw the Chancellor renege on the Government’s commitment to tackle the problem of cheap alcohol by scrapping the alcohol duty escalator. This move is a step that society simply cannot afford; not only will these duty cuts result in a shortfall of £290 million to the Exchequer when Osborne admits we are still going to be in deficit until 2018, but with the cost of alcohol harm in the UK exceeding £25 billion each year, our public services – particularly the NHS – can’t cope …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged alcohol, alcohol duty and budget 2014 | 11 Comments

Lib Dem members back plain cigarette packaging, but more evenly divided on minimum alcohol pricing

By Stephen Tall | Sat 3rd August 2013 - 4:45 pm

Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. More than 600 party members have responded, and we’re publishing the full results.

Two-thirds of Lib Dem members back plain cigarette packaging

Do you support or oppose banning brightly coloured branding and packaging for cigarettes and introducing plain packs?

Total support = 66%

17% – Tend to oppose

11% – Strongly oppose

Total oppose = 28%

5% – Don’t know

Two-thirds of Lib …

Posted in LDV Members poll | Also tagged jeremy browne, liberal vision, Lynton Crosby, plain cigarette packaging and stephen williams | 21 Comments

Opinion: Minimum alcohol pricing – an attack on the poor

By Zadok Day | Wed 4th January 2012 - 10:25 am

News that David Cameron is planning on imposing minimum alcohol pricing has not produced anything near the level of disgust that it should have.

This policy has the fatal flaw of expecting alcoholics and binge drinkers to behave in a rational and financially prudent manner. It’s self-evident that both groups will continue to purchase alcohol at a higher price, sacrificing other parts of their budget to make up the difference – perhaps clothing, perhaps food, perhaps their children. And let’s not forget, this policy will penalise all drinkers, not just the minority who commit crimes whilst under alcoholic …

Posted in Op-eds | 57 Comments